For a Friend
by Loneshark
Summary: Ayeka is forced to fight for Ryoko's life, and discovers something about both of them.


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Tenchi Muyo! They are owned by AIC and Pioneer North America. I did not create them, and their use here is strictly for the enjoyment of myself and anyone who gets bored enough to read this. In other words: Please don't sue my poor ass.  
  
Tenchi Muyo!  
For a Friend  
by the Loneshark  
  
I should hate Ryoko. I have every reason to, after all. She destroyed my home, took away my brother, killed my people, and laughed the entire time. In my dreams, she was the monster in a woman's body that I hated and feared. When I wake, she is the nuisance trying to seduce the man I love. When I say all of this, it seems that she has caused me no end of pain and grief.  
We've had more trouble, recently. Ryoko was kidnapped again, this time by a bounty hunter. It was bad enough the first two times, with Kagato and Dr.Clay. Now, it's starting to become a bad habit. Tenchi wasn't there to help us. He went on a retreat with my brother. We would never have had to rescue her if he had been there to stop the hunter, but, sadly, this was not the case.   
It happened far too quickly for any of us to react. The hunter, Kai, stormed the house, tearing down walls and firing laser blasts at us. I still can't recall everything that happened. Before any of us knew it, Ryoko had been defeated, and was being dragged into outer space.  
Washu, of course, was going after her, as were Mihoshi and Kiyone. I didn't know what to do. Everytime we went after her, it was always seemed like more trouble than it was worth. We had nearly lost our lives, time after time.   
We had nearly lost Tenchi.  
And he wouldn't be there to help us, this time. Without Tenchi, we could easily die, and then it would be totally futile. But, Tenchi would have gone after her, had he known. Why would he run to save that monster?   
Why would I? I ended up going. Sasami wanted to come. She said that she had to help, because Ryoko was her friend. Friend? How could that woman be anyone's friend? We managed to convince her to stay, that it would be better if she did.  
Besides, Washu told me, Tenchi would be very upset if Ryoko, or any one of us, were taken away.   
So, I went. Washu found the hunter's ship quite easily. It was a very fast ship, but Ryo-ohki was faster. Kiyone and Mihoshi fired a blast at it, dissabling the ship. Then Washu used a device to teleport all of us to the same point on the ship. We had no idea where Ryoko was. Washu was carrying a very large weapon of some type, and seemed to be enjoying blowing huge holes in the walls of the ship's corridors. Kiyone suggested that we split up, and she and Mihoshi ran off toward the rear end of the ship.   
Washu wanted me to accompany her to the upper half of the ship. I didn't go with her. I told her that I wanted to look for Ryoko myself. She didn't ask why. She only nodded, and agreed. I'm greatful for that, because I don't think I could have given her a good reason, at the time. I went to the lower half of the ship. Somehow, I knew that was where Ryoko was being held, and I wanted to find her myself.  
I just couldn't understand why. Why did I want to rescue Ryoko so much? And alone, of all things? Was I trying to prove something to myself? I don't believe I could have been so foolish, as to put mine and Ryoko's lives in the hands of personal pride. Not our lives.  
There were many different passages in the ship. It was almost as confusing as when we had to rescue Ryoko from Dr. Clay. I was reminded of it, at that time, and I wondered again why I was there. Why had I gone with Washu to rescue Ryoko from Dr. Clay?  
What was I really doing here?  
Then, I stopped in front of one of the rooms. I walked in, because I had seen Ryoko from the doorway. She was suspended in mid-air by energy rings. They looked similar to the same type of restraints used by my own people. It was obviously doing well at holding Ryoko captive, because she was still unconscious. Every other time Ryoko has been taken hostage, the kidnapper failed to sedate her.   
And now, here she was, my greatest rival, held prisoner by a lowly bounty hunter. She looked exhausted from her battle to resist him. Almost pitiful.  
Before I knew it, I was using my own powers to help her. I focused a shield around Ryoko, between her and the bands of energy holding her. I strengthened the force of the shield, and the bands snapped, and disappeared. Ryoko fell to the ground, still unconscious.  
I walked over to her, about to pick her up, when I heard someone behind me laugh. I turned around to see a man standing in the doorway. He was not very tall, but had a strong build, and his dark hair was cut short. What suprised me most was that he was wearing to clothes of a Juraian soldier.  
He walked up to me, and knelt down in front of me. "Princess Ayeka. I am honored to be in your presence." I could see him smile, and then he stood up. His face was not handsome. If it had ever been, it was now covered with old burn scars, and evidence of shrapnel. He had been in a great conflict.  
"Who are you? I demand that you tell me!" I was angry.   
"You are just as lovely now as you were seven hundred years ago." He still smiled, but made no move to harm me. Indeed, his tone was very respectful, one used to speaking with nobility.  
I was taken aback. "Who... who are you?"  
He looked past me, to Ryoko. "My name, my lady, is Kai." He walked passed me, and stood over Ryoko. I couldn't help but shiver. "My business is not with you, Princess. I only came here for the pirate." He kicked Ryoko in the side. I winced.  
"Stop this!" He looked at me, his eyes cold and hard. "Return Ryoko to us, at once. If you do, I will let you go safely."   
He laughed. I could feel my anger rise. How could he laugh? "As much as I would like to oblige, your highness, I cannot. I am on a mission of veangance."  
"What are you talking about?"  
He turned to me, and rolled up his sleeve, showing even more scars. "You know why I have these scars, don't you, Princess? You were there, seven hundred years ago. I saw you, and Prince Yosho. I watched, with my leg caught underneath a pile of rubble that had once been one of our greatest temples, while Lord Yosho bravely went to fight this beast." He looked at Ryoko again, his face filled with more hate than I would have liked to have seen, and then back to me. "Are you with those people here, looking for her?"  
I nodded. "Yes. What is it to you? You have no right to--"  
"Why have you betrayed your people?" I stopped. "You were there. You saw the destruction. Surely, you must remember every detail. I do. The screams of the people, the cries of soldiers. All because of this monster." His eyes were filled with so much hate, I didn't know what I could do. "I still have nightmares about it all." His expression calmed. I didn't know what to say. "Please, Lady Ayeka, let me take her. I will see that she is punished duly. She deserves it, you know that. She destroyed our people. She deserves to die."  
I looked at Ryoko, hearing him talk the whole while. She looked so helpless, laying there, unable to move, her eyes shut, unaware of the man who wanted to end her life. Unaware of the struggle for her fate.  
"No. I cannot allow it."  
He looked at me, more anger filling his face. "What? How can you? Why defend this creature? Have you betrayed your own people, is that it? Have the children of Jurai been betrayed by their own nobility?" He charged at me. All I had to do was think it, and a shield slammed him back. He stumbled, and stayed on his feet. He looked at me, and I could see only pain in his eyes. "Why, my Princess? Why do this for a worthless pirate?"  
I looked from him to Ryoko, and in that moment, I had seen many things. Ryoko and I fighting over Tenchi. Ryoko and I fighting over things I couldn't even remember. Ryoko being held prisoner by Clay. Fighting Kagato to avenge Tenchi. Comforting Sasami after my sister had a nightmare. Sitting on the roof, avoiding her chores. Sitting in the bath, drinking saki. Sleeping in the rafters of the house.  
And, I could see myself. All of our jealousies, hates, disputes, joys, pleasures, and love.  
He leapt at me. I focused my power, and shot a force blast at him. He flew into the far wall, and sank against the floor. He looked up at me, but was too angry to act. I walked to Ryoko, and picked her up. "I'm not doing it for the pirate. I'm doing it for a friend."  
I turned, and left. Kai didn't follow. Maybe he couldn't. Maybe he didn't want to.  
Washu, Kiyone, and Mihoshi found me in the same spot we had appeared at before when we had gotten on the ship. When they asked my about the bounty hunter, I said that it didn't matter. We had to get Ryoko home before Sasami got too worried.  
We hurried home. Sasami was waiting, and was excited to see us. Ryoko was still unconscious. Washu discovered that Kai had given her some sort of drug. She took Ryoko into her lab, and told us not to disturb her. Ryoko's life could be in danger. No one went near the door to Washu's lab, but we all waited in the lounge.  
Tenchi and Yosho returned home later in the afternoon. Sasami and Mihoshi told them everything that had happened. Tenchi thanked me for saving Ryoko. Even Yosho thanked me.  
We were all still waiting, worried. I was worried for her. It almost made me laugh. Again, I asked why. Why was I so concerned about Ryoko? Was I really speaking the truth when I had spoken to Kai?   
Had I done it for a friend?  
Washu came out of her lab near dinnertime. She said that Ryoko was all right, and would be fine. Everyone wanted to go in and see her, but Washu said that only one person could go in, right now. I turned to Tenchi, and asked if I could see Ryoko privately. He looked at me for a moment, confused, and then agreed.   
I was confused, myself, as I walked into Washu's lab. The lights were dimmed, but I found my way to Ryoko easily through Washu's mad collection. She laid on a hovering table, stripped of the dirty clothes she had been taken away and rescued in. Now, I was very glad Tenchi hadn't come in.  
I sat on a chair next to the table, and looked at her. She seemed... peaceful. The same woman who had once been the most feared demon among the stars was now laying naked and prone. Gone was the fearfullness, the terrible power, and the burning destruction. Laying like that, she was just the same as anyone else.  
The same as me. No better than me, and no worse. Was it true? Was the demon really no better or worse than the princess? Was the princess really no better or worse than the demon?  
Ryoko mumbled. I looked up from my thoughts, and saw her, moving her head. "Te... Tenchi..."  
I sighed. She was calling out to him. I wanted to think it was just some filthy, sticky dream of passion. But it wasn't. Even I could tell that. She was crying out for him, trying to reach him. It was the sound of a woman calling to the man she loved.  
She turned her head, and slowly opened her eyes. "Tenchi?" I assume it took a moment for her vision to clear up. Or, maybe, she still thought she was dreaming. She cursed the bright light, and frowned when she saw me. "Oh, it's you."  
I saw a cloth and a bowl of water laying on the table, next to Ryoko. I stood, and dipped the towel into the water. I rung it out, and put it on Ryoko's forehead, wipping away the dirt and filth. She looked through half-closed eyes at me. "Wha.. what are you doing?"  
"Shh. Be quiet. You don't have a lot of strength right now, do you? You're also dirty. The least Washu could have done was given you a bath."  
Ryoko grumbled, and turned her head away from me. "Eh, so what? I'm used to being dirty. You wouldn't know about that, though, would you?"  
I ignored her. She was just trying to be tough, as always. "I said be quiet. You should rest."She didn't listen to me, of course. "Washu told me what happened on the ship. She said you'd saved me. Who was that guy, anyway?"  
I paused, for a moment. Who was Kai, really? A soldier of Jurai? A survivor of Ryoko the Space Pirate? A spirit of veangance?  
Was he what I could have become?  
I shook my head. "An old soldier from Jurai. He had survived your attack, seven hundred years ago. Barely. He wanted veangance against you, for what you did."  
I could almost feel Ryoko's discomfort. I silently scolded myself. "I'm sorry. I should go." I put the towel down, and started to walk away.  
"Ayeka." I stopped, and looked back. Her head was still turned the other way, but I could hear her clearly. "I... I heard what you'd said on the ship. I wasn't totally out of it. Why didn't you let him take me? I know you wanted to. Why didn't you let me get what I deserve?"  
I shook my head. "You're not that person anymore, Ryoko." What was I saying? This was the same woman who had tried to take away everything and everyone I cared about. "You're not that monster."She turned and looked at me, confused. "You were talking about Tenchi, weren't you? When you said you'd done it for a friend?"  
I looked her in the eye. "No. That's not what I meant. I didn't do it for Tenchi, Ryoko. I did it for a friend."  
She looked as if she didn't believe a word of it. I almost didn't. She looked up, and smiled. "Fine, Ayeka. For a friend."  
I turned, and walked out. Later, I found myself sitting on the roof, in the exact same spot Ryoko likes to sit. I've been thinking about it all evening, ever since dinner.  
I should hate Ryoko. But, I can't. She's no better than me, and I'm no better than her. We both love Tenchi, we both love the people here, and this planet, and saki. If I ever truly hated Ryoko, it would be the same as hating myself. Because, we're just alike. Maybe that's why we fight so much. Because we remind one another of ourselves, and we both want to protect the things we dearly love.  
Yes, I did it for friend. And I would do it again. I know she would, too.  
  
Author's Notes: Finally, after mulling over the idea for nearly two months, I wrote this thing. Ayeka's not my favorite character in the series, but I hope I did her justice. If you liked this one, or even if yo hated this one, please, let me know. (Warning! Shameless Plug Alert!) Also, if you liked this, there's my fics "From the Blood of the Gods", it's sequal "Flow Endless Dreams", "Like Lightning", and "Death Steps Out for a Cigarette". As for anyone else who has read my other stuff (yes, all three of you), I realy hoped you enjoyed this one. And to any Ayeka fans out there, please don't kill me for this. The complaint department is loneshark707@hotmail.com. Come on, people, I need feedback! 


End file.
